Robin Cousins
Starlight Express Credits Starlight Express on Ice - 1997 - Director and Choreographer Performed in Cats Starlight Express On Ice Starlit Storytelling It began as an idea for an animated film and has become the second-longest-running musical in London Theatre history. Now, Starlight Express, based on the musical spectacular by legendary theatrical composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, is a triumphant and colorful $8 million ice extravaganza presented by Feld Entertainment and featuring cutting-edge choreography and creative direction by 1980 Olympic gold medalist Robin Cousins. One might wonder why a musical about a little boy's dream of high-speed train races has galvanised the public's imagination since its opening in 1984. Robin Cousins, who has himself appeared in the London production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, thinks he knows the answer. "Besides being an absolutely original piece of musical theater, full of fantastic songs, colorful characters and raw speed and power," says Cousins, "Starlight Express also tells a charming, wonderful story." He elaborate, "It's really the tale of the little engine that could. Rusty the Steam Engine suffers from low self-esteem. He does not consider himself a winner. It's only through the advice of the old steamer, Poppa, that Rusty discovers his inner strengths." Cousins notes that the other characters who inhabit Starlight's futuristic environs reinforce the show's themes of disillusionment and self-discovery. "They're all on personal journeys," he comments, "whether it's Pearl realising who she really loves, or Electra and Greaseball discovering that bigger and newer isn't always better." People have been telling such stories since the days of Aesop, Cousins observes. "It's these kinds of human stories that give the show its heart." From Roller Skates to Ice Skates When Starlight Express premiered in London in 1984, critics hailed it as the first musical ever performed on roller skates. Robin Cousins was among the show's earliest admirers. Yet, in his admiration, there bubbled a wayward fancy. "I thought, 'A spectacle about train races, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber," Cousins recalls. "'What fabulous stuff for an ice show!'" Kenneth Feld, the CEO of Feld Entertainment, harbored similar thoughts. In 1995, he invited Cousins to choreograph and direct an on-ice version of Starlight Express, and Cousins, who knows likemindedness when he sees it, accepted. In short order, he found himself consulting in the show's musical score with Nigel Wright, who has orchestrated other Lloyd Webber scoreds, including those for the film versions of Evita and Cats. "For this production of Starlight, we had the luxury of working from five earlier versions," remarks Cousins. "With Nigel's help and Andrew's blessing, we've put together a score that, we feel, clarifies the story and characterizations without harming Andrew's original conception." It was Kenneth Feld who insisted that this high-speed story of racing trains would be best served on full ice, in the round. It was also he who assembled the rest of the all-star creative team, including scenic designer Mark Fisher, costume designer Frank Krenz and lighting designer LeRoy Bennett. All these virtuosos worked with Robin Cousins in 1995, on the visionary Feld production The Wizard of Oz on Ice. "The set, lighting, and even the costumes allow us to transform the ice into a different environment," Cousins says. Cousins credits talent coordinator Judy Thomas and associate choreographer Cindy Stuart with helping him put together Starlight's outstanding company of skaters. "These skaters form a brilliant ensemble," Cousins comments. "I think they demonstrate that this show glides well on more than one kind of skate." Starlit Skating Steps "Musically, this show was right up my alley," says Robin Cousins, the director and choreographer of Starlight Express. "It has a big Broadway style that I love and am very familiar with. Choreographing it was easy." Cousins, the 1980 Olympic gold medalist in men's figure skating, knows whereof he speaks. He has created choreography for many top skaters, as well as for TV, film and his own ice spectaculars. In 1995, he choreographed The Wizard of Oz on Ice for Feld Entertainment, following it a year later with choreography for the the Feld-produced Walt Disney's World On Ice - Toy Story. An Englishman, he has acted in London productions of The Rocky Horror Show and Cats. Says Producer Kenneth Feld, "No one knows theater and skating better than Robin." Fine. But creating intricate maneuvers for skaters dressed like trains - isn't that difficult? "Well, O.K.," Cousins laughs, "the tough part is remembering that you have to choreograph for the character, not the great skater you're working with. My job is not about skating. It's about creating and defining character and story through skating." For Starlight, Cousins went to a rink and devised steps for each of the show's characters, while associate choreographer Cindy Stuart video-taped him. Using the tapes as reference, the pair then charted each character's movements on pattern sheets, eventually assigning skaters to specific positions. Cousins credits Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber for making his job as choreographer even easier than it might otherwise have been. "I told him, 'Nobody writes better music for the ice than you do.' He's a skating fan. He took it as a compliment." Category:Production Team Category:Cats Actor